Mermaids In Haven
by Dreamless-Mermaid
Summary: The girls vacation in New York for Bella and Will's wedding. On their first night out Rikki gets a little drunk, and decides to take a night swim. She ends up unconscious in Haven, rescued by Duke, and the two of them investigate a strange Trouble with the help of Audrey and Nathan. Come to find out, Rikki is not the only Mako Island mermaid in Haven.
1. Chapter 1

**Mermaids In Haven**

 **Chapter 1**

 **AN: Hello! I'm super excited to share this with you guys. This is my first attempt at H2O AND Haven fan fiction! This is mostly an H2O story but if you're not familiar with Haven, don't worry. Some things will be explained later on. But you should definitely watch the show if you haven't! It's so good!**

 **Hope you enjoy. Constructive criticism is always appreciated. Thanks so much!**

* * *

"Are you sure this is the only way to get there?"

"Well we can't exactly drive through an ocean, can we?"

"I think she means why can't we just… _swim_ there."

"Because that's not what normal people do."

"We are nowhere near normal and haven't been for almost six years."

"I remember, Rikki, thank you, but what about our stuff? We can't be in New York for nearly two weeks without clothes and toiletries."

"We can always buy new stuff."

"Not all of us have a thriving business where we can throw around a much money as we please."

"Hey, I gave you a chance to be a partner but you turned me down for Ash and your projects."

"Planning, Rikki, how many times have I told you that? I'm a professional party planner and organizer."

"Oh my God, can we _please_ not do this? I'd really like to come off this flight as a sane person and not a murderer because I've killed you two."

Emma and I glared at each other and threw our backpacks onto the conveyor belt. We took off our shoes and one by one, the three of us walked through the security line. Cleo brought up the rear and was the last to fetch her bag. The other blonde one and I were muttering under our breaths as we made our way through the airport. We passed many shops and fast food places until Cleo finally spotted our gate.

"Over there, 15C. We've got about," Cleo checked her wristwatch, "thirty minutes until we board. Try and be civil to each other. You're friends, remember? Friends that are going to see another friend get married next weekend."

"Yeah, yeah I know. Sorry, Em," I said.

"It's okay, I'm sorry too. We shouldn't let our stubborn sides get in the way. We're going for Bella," Emma smiled at me and the three of us set our bags down by a row of large windows. I immediately went down on the floor, Emma and Cleo followed suit and they pulled out their cell phones.

"Guess I missed a text from Ash," Emma said. "They landed okay in the city and are at Bella and Will's place. At least they were a few hours ago."

"Lewis said the same thing," Cleo said, thumbs at the ready to text back a reply. "I still can't believe their bachelor party will be in Las Vegas. How cliche is that?"

"I know, but it's what Will wants," Emma said as she set down her phone to take out a book.

"What, there aren't enough strip clubs in New York?" I deadpanned.

"Oh come on, give them a little more credit than that," Cleo laughed. "They're going to see a concert, too. And drink and gamble and basically have way too much fun without us."

"So you're not worried about a drunk Lewis around half naked girls?" Emma raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, please he can barely handle himself when he's sober and _I'm_ half naked. He's volunteered to be the designated driver the entire time. So no, I'm not worried."

I saw a bit of skepticism pass over Emma's face but chose not to say anything. I let them continue to talk while I stared out the window, thinking about the upcoming vacation. There were a few dark clouds in the sky and it looked like it was going to rain. Currently it's seven forty-five on a Sunday morning at the Brisbane Airport. Now normally I don't care to be up this early. Even to open the cafe. I enjoy my sleep, unlike these other two girls beside me that have always been the morning type. Even though I had to be up before the crack of dawn it's for a good reason.

"Gosh, Will and Bella are getting married! I'm so excited!" Cleo squeaked in delight, glancing up from her phone.

"Yeah, I always figured you and Lewis would be first," I said. Cleo sighed.

"If only. We've talked about it a few times but we're both at a good place in our careers right now and we want to save some money," she said. "Trust me, when we have our wedding, it's going to be perfect. And expensive."

"I've never seen the point in lavish weddings," Emma piped up. "It's such a waste. Why not spend the extra cash on the honeymoon? Besides, the only thing that matters is you and the groom."

"You know how much I love shiny things, Emma."

I smiled and shook my head. "I'm going to find something small to eat. Do you guys want anything?" I asked as I stood up.

"A blueberry muffin, please," Emma said politely.

"Orange juice and a croissant?" Cleo asked.

"Coming right up." I fished out my wallet and cell phone from my backpack and walked out of the terminal. The airport had a steady flow of people, some searching for their gates, others just getting off their planes and staring at the TV monitors or on their cell phones and heading to baggage claim. I wandered around until I found a shop with books and magazines and souvenirs. There was also a small food counter with a refrigerator next to it. I took my time browsing the literature and carelessly searching through the bizarre t-shirts, even though I immediately spotted the things that Emma and Cleo asked for. In truth, talking about wedding stuff made me uncomfortable so I was glad to get away. Oh sure I had to endure hours of scouring for the perfect bridesmaid dress. The four of us debated repeatedly about how we should wear our hair and makeup. I even made it through that Skype chat the day Bella showed us her dress. But I'm only a bridesmaid so the happily ever after bit didn't concern me. Actually sitting down to think about marriage and the future, that's what weirds me out. Zane and I never discussed it, even when we weren't fighting. My parents divorced when I was very young so that's a possibility of why I was never one of those girls sitting around planning her dream wedding.

Add to the fact that Zane and I broke up six months ago. Everyone was so sure that he and I would be married one day. But he ended it this time. I gave him another chance the year after I graduated and it was really good for a while. I learned to trust him again but as the months passed we started fighting a lot more than we had before and he was getting to be controlling. He worried about me and my mermaid self and never hesitated to tell me how I should dress to avoid any accidents. We touched on the subject of children very briefly, but then he jokingly blurted out that the baby would probably come out with a tail. I've never thought about kids of my own someday. I tend to stay far away from them as much as I can. It's always been me and my dad so the whole big family thing never crossed my mind. Pretty sure that was what sealed the deal in our breakup. He claimed he wanted a "break" to think about things but he never tried to get in contact with me and Cleo said she saw him at the water park a few times with another girl.

And now I get to spend a whole three days with him before he goes to Las Vegas. Not to mention the additional days of the rehearsal dinner and the wedding day itself.

Perfect.

I made a passing glance at my phone. We had ten minutes left until boarding time. I went to the counter to grab the food requests, picked out a banana and a juice for myself, and made it back to the terminal just in time. Luckily, Emma and Cleo had moved away from the wedding talk.

"So Cleo thinks that we should ask Bella if she knows of any good private swimming areas," Emma said after I handed them their things. She was wearing her typical Emma face when she thought something was not a good idea.

"Sure, what's wrong with that?" I asked.

"Well I don't want her to have to think about anything mermaid related before her big day. I checked the moon cycles and there's a full moon two days before the wedding," Emma responded quietly. The three of us sat closer together so our voices wouldn't carry to the people around us.

"We have eleven days to do whatever we want before the ceremony. And Bella said it's hot as hell right now so why shouldn't we swim?" Cleo said as she opened her orange juice.

"She's been there for a year, I'm sure she's found a secluded enough area. Will still dives so I bet they go out all the time," I reassured Emma. "You're forgetting that she's been a mermaid since she was nine. She can handle it. Besides, the full moon doesn't effect us like it used to."

Emma was looking down and picking at her muffin. "I know. I guess I'm over thinking it. I'd just hate for something to happen at the bachelorette party or, God forbid, the reception."

"Accidents happen. And if it does we know four very great guys that will be there to help us out." Cleo smiled.

I didn't have time to dwell on that fact because before I knew it we were being called to line up. So what if I had to see Zane? I could handle it. I'm twenty-three years old for God's sake, I think I know how to behave.

And if nothing else I can always drink my problems away.

* * *

The flight over was predictably boring. Twenty-two hours with nothing to do. I mostly slept or listened to music so I didn't have to talk to anyone else. I tried to read a few times. Attempted to watch the in flight movie (which I'd never even heard of). They brought us lunch and dinner, both of which were subpar but that's airplane food. Cleo and Emma sat next to each other and when they began to talk about wedding stuff again I immediately tuned them out. I stared out the tiny window at puffy, white clouds as they floated by. There was an occasional break and I saw the ocean, vast and blue. Many times I caught myself in a daydream thinking about swimming in that ocean. Instead of sitting in the awful seat.

Finally, _finally_ , we landed in New York around six-thirty on Monday morning. My clothes were wrinkled and my hair was mussed up from the amount of times I tried to get comfortable in my seat, but I didn't care. I practically skipped off the plane.

"Next time we are _definitely_ traveling my way," I informed my friends. After we found out what carousel number our bags were going to be on, we made our way to the baggage claim area. Cleo spotted Bella behind the designated security area, the tan blonde girl waving her arms above her head and wearing an enormous smile.

"You're here! You're really here!" Bella exclaimed as she rushed at us. We dropped our backpacks and embraced in a great, big group hug.

"We've missed you so much!" Emma said.

"It's only been a year," I laughed.

"Hey, a lot can happen in a year," Bella giggled. We hugged tightly once more before we each let go and picked up our bags. "How was the flight?"

"Ugh, long," I supplied, rolling my eyes. The four of us lazily made our way to baggage claim. "So what's new?"

"Will and I finally finished moving into the new apartment last week," Bella tossed her hair over her shoulder. "It's right outside the city but close enough to the Hudson River. You guys will love it. It's a studio and it's huge. There's enough space for everyone. Oh and the view in the morning is gorgeous."

"Awesome! I can't wait to see it," Cleo said with a smile.

"How much is _that_ costing you?" I asked.

"That is nothing you need to worry about. Will and I make enough. Besides," Bella stopped us just as we neared the carousels. I looked back to see a grin spreading over her face. "I can't keep quiet anymore, now that you're here I _have_ to tell you. I signed with a record company!"

"Oh my God, Bella!" Emma exclaimed.

"That's amazing!" Cleo squealed. I felt my own eyes widen and I started laughing.

"Bella, that's incredible!" I grabbed her shoulders. "Why did you tell us sooner you silly girl?" I couldn't resist it, I hugged her.

"It only just happened on Friday! I didn't want to tell you on the phone because I wanted to see your faces! And it was totally worth the wait."

We celebrated by jumping up and down together, something we haven't done since we were teenagers. As expected we drew a few stares but I didn't care. This is monumental! It's only right that we freak out with her.

"This calls for a drink!" I said.

"Um, not at seven in the morning. At least wait until ten. That seems to be an acceptable time to start drinking here." Bella laughed.

"Of course it is! It's called brunch. Mimosas and bloody mary's all around!" I cheered. The girls just laughed at me but I was kind of, sort of, not kidding. I wanted a touch of liquid courage before seeing Zane but didn't want to overdo it. I knew I should have taken the mini bottle of Jack Daniels. The carousel with our luggage began to move so we made it over in time to snatch up our suitcases.

"I have a car parked in the garage. Let's go."

Cleo was right, it _was_ hot here, even though it was so early. There showed no signs of rain clouds like in Brisbane. Instead the sun was steadily rising while a breeze did its best to keep us cool but it still felt clammy and humid. Despite that we chatted happily while making our way to Bella's car. When she moved here last year she made sure to get her driver's license right away. Will insisted not to waste the time or the money, since a lot of people took public transportation or walked everywhere, but Bella wanted to be practical for just in case situations. I recognized her small, powder blue Prius right away from several pictures she had posted online when she picked it out. We threw our things in the back and climbed in. Emma was in the passenger seat, I was behind Bella, and Cleo was behind Emma.

"Rikki," Bella said a few short minutes later once we were finally out of airport traffic. We came to a stoplight when she caught my gaze in the rear view mirror and held it. Oh no. I knew that look. I suddenly dreaded what she was going to say next. "I've avoided asking you about it but now I need to know. Will you be okay with Zane?"

Cleo and Emma looked away from us pretending like we weren't there. Obviously they had been avoiding that conversation with me, too.

"Yes," I sighed. "I'll be fine. As long as we're cordial to each other, the next two weeks should be easy."

"I can always tell him to leave-"

"No, don't do that. Will asked him to be a groomsman before we split and they're still good friends whether Zane and I are together or not. I don't want to ruin that for Will."

"Okay. If you're sure."

"Positive," I gave her my best smile. "If he does start to be Captain Douchebag, do I have your permission to at least give him a few burn marks?"

"Yes! Please!" Bella laughed loudly. Emma turned around in her seat to face me now that the danger had passed.

"If there's any cute guys at the wedding, you should pick him up and get laid," Emma said matter-of-factly. Wait…what?! I turned a bright shade of pink and the girls burst out laughing. "I'm serious!"

"Wow, Emma, coming from you that was unexpected!" I was more than a little surprised by her blunt statement. I'm usually the raunchier one of the group, especially as we've gotten older. Never in a million years would I expect _Emma_ to tell me to have sex with a complete stranger.

"You laugh now but you will thank me later." Now she just looked smug.

"I _do_ have a cousin from England who recently broke up with his girlfriend," Bella mused. "His name is Henry and he's twenty-nine."

"Ooohh an older man," Cleo teased, nudging me lightly with her elbow.

"No way. I will not be one of those people that feels lonely and vulnerable at a wedding and bang the first guy I see."

"But he's cute!" Bella said.

"And available!" Cleo threw in.

"No!" I half yelled, half laughed.

"Rikki and Henry sittin' in a tree-" Emma started in a sing-song voice. Oh God, is this my life?

"K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Cleo played along.

"Don't you dare finish that, Bella!" I yelled as I playfully shoved Cleo and Emma away. They continued to torment me all the way to the apartment. I didn't even get to see any of the cool landmarks!

In the back of my mind I knew I was getting closer and closer to Zane. I wonder what would happen if I just flung myself out of the car right now…No! Stop it, Rikki. You're better than that.

The teasing subsided once we pulled into a building, parked, and proceeded to follow Bella with our bags. While in the elevator, Cleo got a text from Lewis saying that everyone was awake and breakfast was waiting for us. Was I ready for this? Wait, what am I even saying? It's _Zane_ and it's only been six _months_ , not six years. I had to keep my cool. I couldn't let him know how nervous I was. He might have the upper hand because he broke up with me but he needed to see that I was fine without him.

I blinked and suddenly we had arrived at the front door. My stomach twisted into a giant knot. I took a deep breath and stepped inside after Bella.

* * *

 **AN: Stick around for chapter 2? Thanks loves!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Mermaids In Haven**

 **Chapter 2**

 **AN: Welcome back! This chapter is a little long. Also be prepared for drunk!Rikki. This IS set later in the girls' lives so they're much older and over 21. Enjoy!**

* * *

Bella led the way into her spacious studio apartment. I followed, Cleo behind me, and Emma brought up the rear. Well, Bella was right about one thing: it was huge! It was basically one large room with a few furniture pieces on the right (shelving, T.V., etc.), the modest kitchen was to my immediate left, and around the corner from the kitchen was a separate, smaller room, presumably the bathroom. There were several wide windows running around the entire apartment and the sun streamed inside, magnificently lighting up every space it could. The boys let out a friendly yell, each one happy to see us. I tore my eyes away from the windows and put on another smile. We all gave each other nice hugs, Zane and I rather awkwardly.

I studied Zane from the corner of my eye while I made small talk with Will. Admittedly he looked good. Of course he does, he's Zane Freaking Bennett. His hair seems shorter. I wonder if he got it cut for the wedding. He's wearing that shirt I bought him last year, the short sleeved blue button up. No designs, no patterns, just simple blue. I groaned internally. Did he wear that on purpose? He knew how much I loved it. I could feel myself getting nervous. The knot was steadily growing. But I wasn't going to break.

"Hey, Bella, where can I put my stuff?" I turned to her and asked once Will walked away to grab something out of the refrigerator.

"Oh sorry! Over here, I'll show you," Bella pointed the way to an area by the windows that had been designated for just us girls. There were three twin size air mattresses still in their boxes and several large pillows in a pile on the floor. "You guys can inflate the mattresses tonight. We have plenty of sheets and blankets. Pick a pillow and just put your bag wherever. The boys have the other side," Bella pointed to the opposite side of the room where a similar station was set up. "Our bed is by the bathroom. Make yourselves at home!"

"Thanks again for letting everyone stay here," Emma said, picking up a light blue pillow and setting it on top of her suitcase.

"Of course! What's the point in a hotel when we have so much space?"

"We are definitely saving money this way," I said. I chose a nice orange pillow. Ooohh and it's so fluffy.

"So when can we play tourist?" Cleo said excitedly.

"Whenever you guys are ready!" Will called out from the kitchen.

"We walked around a little bit yesterday but held off on the major stuff to wait for you," Ash said.

"How about we have some breakfast and then start sightseeing?" Lewis proposed.

"I'm in!" Cleo said happily.

"Me too," Emma agreed.

I nodded. "Sure, sounds fun."

The lot of us gathered in the kitchen for food and coffee. I was beginning to feel the effects of the jet lag but I didn't want to be the party pooper who stayed home to sleep. Between running around New York and running around New York with Zane, I was going to need a lot more coffee.

* * *

Whose big idea was it to go clubbing tonight? Oh, right, Cleo's. I'm going to kill her.

We came home by three-thirty after a hearty day of sightseeing. Will and Ash made lunch for everyone and I was the first one to blow up my air mattress and take a nap. I woke up a couple of hours later and that's when Cleo bounced on me, telling me we were going to dinner and then to Will and Bella's favorite bar. So here I was, sitting on said mattress, putting on a little bit of makeup.

I almost didn't notice when Zane carefully sat down next to me.

"You look exhausted," he noted.

"I am," I replied. "But I got enough of a cat nap to power through it." He laughed lightly and shook his head. I glanced at his reflection in my mirror. "What?"

"I forgot how stubborn you are."

I shrugged. "I can sleep in tomorrow. I'll probably never come back to New York anytime soon so I want to enjoy it while I can." Zane made a noise in agreement.

"Rikki, are you almost done with the curling iron?" Cleo called from the bathroom.

"I don't have it!"

"I do and yes, almost," Bella shouted back. She was sitting in front of a tall mirror, holding up her hair. Emma sat next to her digging through her jewelry bag. Everyone was dressed but the girls and I were donning the finishing touches. "Okay, Cleo, you can have it!"

"You look nice tonight, by the way," Zane leaned in and muttered under his breath. I paused in the middle of curling my eyelashes and considered my outfit: dark skinny jeans, a dark red tank top, and red wedge heels that I'll be slipping on soon. My hair was down in it's usual wave. I had a few pieces of jewelry on but nothing dramatic. And I was going light on the makeup. I didn't really _feel_ that dressy but, hey, if Zane was going to start giving out compliments to me I will not object. Considering it was a big change from all the negative things he's said to me in the past.

I gave him a polite smile. "Thanks. So do you."

The two of us made small talk for the next few minutes while the girls and I finished getting ready. It was getting easier chatting with Zane. We'd kept our conversations light and fun all day. Neither of us brought up our past or if we were currently dating anyone or anything detrimental to this vacation. It seemed as if we were both on the same page for once: be nice to each other for Will and Bella. That was good enough for me.

After dinner we arrived at the bar around ten. The Blue Lily, it was called. The building was a good size and sat nestled between two other establishments on a pier overlooking the Hudson. For a Monday night the place was surprisingly busy. I tried not to but on the entire way over here I thought about what Zane said back at the apartment. And how he stayed so close to me at the restaurant. Even in the van taxi he made it a point to sit next to me. At first I thought he was just trying to make amends for what happened between us. The smiles, the compliments; they sounded so sincere, like he was trying to just be a friend. Which is nice, because that's what I want. But then I noticed he would subtly graze my hand when he reached for something or let his gaze linger on me for just a little bit too long. What I once found cute and flirty now made me uncomfortable. I definitely did not want to get back together but I did want us to be in an okay place with each other, and the flirting was not helping. The second we stepped into the bar I made a beeline toward Emma and clung to her arm. I forced myself into the conversation that she and Ash were having. Luckily for me neither one of them thought anything unusual about this.

"Glad we got here early," I heard Will call out from behind us. "It doesn't get crowded until midnight."

"Which means easier access to the bar," I mused aloud. "Perfect." I dragged Emma and the other girls with me toward said bar where we all started a tab and I paid for our first round of shots.

"What's in it?" Cleo warily eyed the pink colored alcohol I was handing her.

"Just drink it," I deadpanned.

"Wait, wait we have to have an obligatory first toast!" Emma said.

"Of course we do," I teasingly rolled my eyes at her.

"Come on, guys, get in on this. Bella's not marrying herself," Emma motioned for the boys to join us at the bar. Each of them already had a drink in their hand. The eight of us stood in a semi-circle in front of the bar and we raised our glasses. All eyes were on Emma. "To Will and Bella, two of the best people I know. May your love carry you through this journey of life. May you cherish-"

"Blah, blah, blah, no more speeches, let's drink!" I really couldn't help myself. I hate long speeches and God knows Emma is the queen at giving them. My blond companion gave me a death glare but I slung an arm around her to show her I meant good faith. We cheered, clinked glasses and the girls and I drained our shots in milliseconds.

Let the night begin.

So I think it's been like…two hours? And I'm pretty sure I'm drunk. Or getting there. Bella fed me a shot not too long ago and I think it was tequila. If that's the case then yes, I am definitely…Dear God I have to pee again.

I staggered out of the bathroom with Cleo, laughing hysterically because we almost tripped over each other. Hmmm, everything looks a little fuzzy. But the music is loud and the lights are bright so I don't really give a crap.

I'm giggling when I run into Will. "Hey, Will!"

"Where's Lewis?" Cleo mumbles to herself. She spots him and immediately runs off.

"Will," I continued. "I am _so happy_ for you and Bella. I love you both _so much_." Pretty sure I'm slurring my words now but in my head it sounds much better.

Will laughed. "Thanks, Rikki, we love you too. We're happy you guys are here." I smiled and reached up to hug him. Even after nearly six years of knowing this guy, he's _still_ taller than me. I'm almost twenty-three! How is that fair?

"Hi guys," Bella came up behind me and wrapped me in a hug. Her cheek pressed against mine and I could feel how warm she was. "How're things?"

"This place is awesome! I would say we should bar hop but I'm having too much fun!" I yelled over the music. I turned around and she and I danced with each other. I had to close my eyes a few times to stop the room from spinning. "Who wants another shot?"

"I do!" Bella chimed.

"Oh no, let's take it easy girls," Will made us stop dancing to give us each a glass of water, no ice. "Stop for a second or you'll get water on yourselves."

Water…Why is he telling us that? Water does something…Oh! Duh! Bella had to keep her balance on Will's arm but she finished her glass with no complications. That makes me wonder how I managed all this time when I was at a bar by myself. Oh right, that's why I like shots. No mess, no water required.

SHOTS!

I took a sip of water, set it on the bar, and ordered two more rounds of tequila shots when Will had his back turned.

"Zane!" I saw my ex coming from the bathroom and ran over to him. "Where have you been?"

"With Lewis and Cleo, making sure they don't do anything stupid. Besides," he was giving me a strange look. "I didn't think you wanted me around."

"What?" I said. "Of course not! Why do you think that?" I laughed and touched his chest. He's so funny sometimes. He leaned in a little closer to my ear.

"You've been avoiding me since we got here," What? No way! "Yeah way!" Zane laughed. Oh, I guess I said that out loud. The music changed to what sounded like…Britney Spears and dub step? I don't know but it was awesome and I was getting restless.

"Let's dace!" I shouted and grabbed Zane's hand. I led us to the floor. He seemed a little reluctant but I wasn't going to have any of it. "Come on, I won't bite." I winked. That did it. He pulled me close to his body and we swayed together to the heavy beat. Over the course of a few minutes, but what seemed longer in my intoxicated state, the music changed but Zane and I never stopped. I like this. I like dancing like this and having fun with him. I vaguely remember the first time we went to a club together. At first it was a total disaster; drinks spilled (thankfully not _on_ me) and awkward dancing. But as the night passed it got better and we met new people. We became comfortable enough to be ourselves with each other. It was a nice feeling. I smiled up at him in a blissful state but it came crashing down when he decided to kiss me.

 _Wait._

 _No._

 _Back up._

 _Wrong!_

 _So wrong!_

I pulled away in total surprise. I could feel how wide my eyes were. "Zane, what the hell!"

"Oh God, Rikki, I'm sorry! I just-"

"Thought it was okay to kiss me?! I never-"

"I know you didn't but, yeah, for a second I thought it _was_ okay! I got my signals mixed up, I'm sorry!" He was panicked and flustered. I felt anxious and nervous all at once and I was spiraling down from my high. I knew I needed to get out of there. I pushed myself through the crowd toward the exit. Zane's shouts were drowned out by the music and soon the crowd of clubgoers swallowed me up. I was ejected from the building and rushed down the boardwalk. Away from Zane. Away from the kiss. Away from my goddamn feelings.

* * *

Of course, try as one might, you can't ever outrun your feelings. Eventually I came to the end of the pier. There was a bench that faced toward the water and my legs gave way. I melted into the steel piece of furniture, breathing hard. My head was beginning to ache and my vision was a little spotty. There weren't many people down on this end; it must be pretty late now.

I'm such an idiot. Why did I think that things between Zane and I could ever be easy? I feel like one of us always made something complicated. That's how it's been for six years. I just want to move on already.

"Rikki?"

I didn't have to turn around. I knew who it was. "Go away, Zane. Please."

He sighed. "For the millionth time I'm sorry."

"I know you are."

"So then come back to the bar."

"Not yet. I need to think."

His footsteps quickened and he came around from my right. "Think about what? It was a mistake."

"Clearly you and I still have some issues to work out. Otherwise you wouldn't have kissed me at all."

"I got caught up in the moment! I was remembering our first time at a bar and I misread your signals," he sighed in frustration. I looked up at him.

"There were no signals! I wasn't trying to send anything! Not unlike you, mister nice compliments with your flirting." That probably didn't make any sense but he knew what I meant. I'm surprised he had been thinking about that night too. Maybe my intoxicated brain sent those signals without my permission. I made a sudden decision and I forced myself to stand up. If he wasn't going to leave then I would.

"What are you doing?" Zane said. I took two steps toward the metal railing, heaved myself up and over like I was mounting a horse, and in no time I was on the opposite side, clinging to the rail. Zane asked me again, this time sheer panic lacing through his voice. I looked back at him.

"Tell the girls I'll see them tomorrow."

"Rikki stop! This is crazy!" He laughed nervously.

"I can see underwater at night. I'll be fine," I reassured him.

Zane would not take no for an answer. He reached out and grabbed my arm. "You don't know these waters. Just come back to the bar. Please."

As I gazed out at the Hudson River, its blackness intimidating yet intriguing, I knew how much I wanted to be away for a few hours. I needed to gather my thoughts alone so I could explain to Zane why we would never get back together. Our breakup caught me off guard and we were done before I could tell him to stick it where the sun didn't shine. A part of me still cared about him, but not liked I used to. I shook my arm out of his grip.

"Don't wait up." I dove in and once again left Zane behind. He protested loudly but he was silenced as soon as I was in the water. I kicked down…

Down…

Down…

Three, two, one. Ah, finally. My legs disappeared and my tail emerged. That's much better. I felt relieved to be in the water. Come to think of it, I felt great. Better than that, even. Wasn't I supposed to be drunk? The dull ache in my head was gone and my eyes were clear and focused. Did I just discover an awesome new thing? I was completely sober in my mermaid form. Maybe this was like what happened to Emma when she tried to dye her hair. It was blond when she was human and red when she was a mermaid. Ugh, then that means I'll still be drunk or extremely hungover when I change back. Well, so much for that.

I glided through the water effortlessly. Even though it was pitch black my mermaid vision could see everything perfectly. The Hudson River wasn't as beautiful as the reef back home but it was still unique.

I floated along in contentment, totally at ease. It was definitely much easier to think down here. No distractions. I'm not sure how long I swam around. Minutes, hours maybe. There was a sudden shift in the water and at first I thought nothing of it. But it happened again and when I looked around it was like the water was swirling. I quickly swam to the surface and carefully popped my head out. Oh crap, I had swum out further than I thought. The Manhattan skyline was in the distance and I was now in the Atlantic. Oops.

A huge wave rolled in and knocked me aside. I came up sputtering salt water. Ew ugh yuck. Two more waves hit me simultaneously, one right after the other. Okay, what the hell?! An explosion of thunder cracked overhead and the sky lit up brilliantly mere seconds later. The wind howled and wave after wave crashed into me. Just my luck. I _would_ get caught in a freak storm. Now it was really getting crazy. It was almost too hard to swim. None of my powers would work against these elements, unless I wanted to direct the lightning somewhere else. I ducked underwater and made an attempt to use my super speed. That worked for a bit until I resurfaced again, only to be even further away from the city. Okay don't panic. You can do this, Rikki. I darted this way, that way, any way I could to go in the direction I wanted, yet the water kept working against me. The storm was in full force now. It started raining. More thunder, lightning, wave-

Wave-

Holy crap, HUGE wave!

I was being tossed around like a doll. I couldn't tell which way was up or down. Every time I tried to escape I kept getting pushed under. Several times I swallowed water. There was nothing for me to grab and hold on to. My arms thrashed above my head in case someone, anyone, who was crazy enough to be out here saw me. At this point I didn't care about exposing myself. I was desperate and I just wanted it to end.

I tried to look in the direction I thought was the shoreline. Only I was met with pure darkness. There were no lights, not even a flicker. So this is how I die. Funny, I always thought I'd live to be the ripe old age of a hundred. Preferably in my sleep surrounded by pictures and treasures from my many travels.

No, this can't be it. There's too much to do. The cafe will be lost without me. And my friends, my best friends in the entire world. I wouldn't see Will and Bella get married…

 _Screw that_. I'm not dying today.

I mustered up as much strength as I could and pushed myself to swim. I forced my strong tail up and down. Come on, Rikki, go. Push yourself. You are _not_ missing that freaking wedding! Zane be damned. Do it for Bella.

It was working! I was finally able to swim in a single direction. Slowly, every second was agony on my tail, but I was going to make it.

If only I had seen the boat in time.

It seemed to be a yacht. The lights were blown out by the storm so it was hard to tell. I merely guessed by the massive shape. It bore down on me so quickly that I didn't have time to react. My body violently collided with the hull first and then my head. Bright lights burst behind my eyes and just like that I was out cold.

Maybe this is how I die after all.

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 **AN: Stay tuned for chapter 3!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Mermaids In Haven**

 **Chapter 3**

 **AN: Hi guys! So this chapter brings in the Haven universe! Set between seasons 2 and 3, but before Colorado (if you get my drift Haven fans *wink*) This is a little shorter than the first two but I wanted Duke to have his own chapter before I brought Rikki around. And don't worry if you haven't watched the show, some things will be explained a bit later so you won't get completely lost. Let me know what you think in a lovely review! Thank you!**

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Duke Crocker didn't ask for much. A bed to sleep in, a roof of some kind over his head, warm coffee in the morning, his favorite beer, and on occasion a glass of smooth scotch. He did his thing and stayed out of everyone's way. To the ladies he was known as the resident bad boy. To the authorities, a troublemaker. And to his business dealers, a smarmy wise ass who couldn't necessarily be trusted but always delivered. That's just the way Duke liked it.

But then a certain Federal agent had to show up (who technically wasn't a real fed) and turn his nice little world upside down. Now, Audrey Parker has Duke actually working with police (just Nathan, really), his sex life has been less than stellar, and because of the Troubles his work has been put on an indefinite hold. Not that Duke didn't want the Troubles to end. Like everyone else in Haven he was getting tired of dead bodies piling up week after week. Like everyone else he just wanted answers.

"Morning, Giselle," Duke said as he casually strolled into his favorite coffee shop. He gave the girl behind the counter a classic Crocker grin and she blushed.

"Morning, Duke," the coffee pot she was wiping down almost slipped out of her hands, which made her dark cheeks flush even more from embarrassment. Duke leaned against the counter and glanced around the shop. It wasn't as busy as it usually was. Business picked up by seven and it was right about six-fifteen. "You're here early."

"Yeah, well, I was close by. Had to bunker down at the Gull last night. Didn't want to be on the Rouge in the storm."

Giselle made a noise in agreement. "That sure was crazy, huh? Never seen anything like it. I thought for sure my windows were going to bust."

"It certainly was…odd," Duke came up with the only word he could think of to describe the monsoon that raged through Haven the night before. "Didn't the weather channel say it was supposed to be sunny and clear all week?" He joked.

She shrugged. "I don't know but that kind of thing happens all the time, doesn't it?" Without thinking she reached under the counter and pulled out a tall Styrofoam cup. "I mean weather can just change in an instant. Maybe somehow they missed the storm on the radar or something."

Duke smiled. "Or something," Giselle grinned and set to work getting together his regular order: large coffee and a cranberry scone. "You know, you're pretty perceptive. Ever think about becoming a meteorologist?"

She laughed. "What and leave all of this?" She said sarcastically and gestured at the shop around them.

"I'm serious! I know you've got the smarts for it. You went to Cornell, right?"

"Yeah and ended up back here with loan debt the size of Texas," she set down the coffee and pastry in front of him. "Four fifty, please."

He handed her a five dollar bill. "I know loans are a pain in the ass. But it's something to think about."

She gave him his change and grinned. "Thanks, Duke."

"Anytime," he winked and left the cafe feeling pretty good. Flirting with Giselle was always the highlight of his morning.

The scone was gone in five bites while he made his way to the docks at the opposite end of town. He sidestepped many fallen tree branches and broken power lines. Other kinds of debris littered the streets. Trash cans were overturned. A few windows from various businesses were smashed in. Glass crunched under his feet as he passed by one such place. To an outsider it seemed as if Haven really had been hit with a hurricane. Audrey and Nathan had both texted him last night speculating a Trouble. If that was the case Duke was going to have a long day ahead of him.

He was nearing the docks now. He spotted his boat, the Cape Rouge, floating peacefully and thankfully above water. A few of the other boats were not so lucky. His cell phone rang. He pulled it out of the back pocket of his jeans. He sighed when he saw the caller I.D.

"Yes, Audrey?" he answered. It wasn't that Duke wasn't pleased to hear from her but he thought his text reply to her said he would call her first and after he got things cleaned up.

"Hey, Duke, bad time?"

"Not at all. I'm nearing the boat now so depending on how bad stuff's been tossed around I probably won't have much time to talk."

"Okay, no problem. I just wanted you to know that Nathan and I are heading out in an hour or so. Think we're going to help with the cleanup around town and maybe investigate this Trouble."

"So it _was_ a Trouble that caused this?"

She hesitated. "We think so."

"You _think_ so?" Duke echoed.

"We're not one hundred percent positive but-"

He stopped walking, staring past his boat. "Did you ever consider that maybe this was just a regular, everyday thunderstorm that happened to get a little out of hand? I mean it's possible that not everything unexplained is connected to a Trouble."

"Nathan said that several reports came in last night involving fires and lightning strikes, all centered around one neighborhood. I'd say that's pretty suspicious."

"Well by all means, if Mr. Good Cop says so then it _must_ be true," Duke said sarcastically. "In reality it was probably a pyromaniac who started those fires and some schmuck who put up a lightning rod for God only knows what reason. There, I solved the case."

"Duke," Audrey sighed in annoyance. She was never one for jokes and sarcasm when it came to the Troubles.

"Did anyone die?"

She paused before answering. "What?"

"Well there's usually a body or two to go with said Trouble so I assumed-"

"Nothing's been called in if that's what you mean."

"Alright, alright, I was just making sure."

"What's up with you today? You seem crankier than usual."

Duke sighed heavily. "I'm just tired of all of these freak things happening in this town. I want a thunderstorm to be a thunderstorm, not a monsoon that someone conjured up because of an unknown supernatural ability."

"I know," she agreed. "I want that too but, Duke, my gut tells me it _wasn't_ normal. So the sooner Nathan and I can ask around, the sooner I can help them get it under control before it happens again. Okay?"

"Yeah okay. You got it, Wonder Woman. Always with the saving people thing," he grinned as he took a sip of coffee and started walking again. He secretly loved how much she cared about this crazy ass town. She let out a sharp breath, a long sigh, and he could almost hear her smirk through the phone.

"You're an ass," she said, and the line went dead. Duke chuckled and put his phone away. He eventually made it to the Rouge and hauled himself aboard.

There was minimal damage. Some of the deck chairs were scattered, the card table and traps were upside down. A few other odds and ends were out of place but otherwise everything seemed okay. At least she wasn't underwater. Several long, thick ropes were missing along with a few fishing nets. He rarely used the nets but figured he ought to look for them anyway.

Minutes passed as he cleaned the deck. Empty beer bottles that he meant to throw away ages ago rolled around out of his reach. He chased one that was headed for the grab rails.

"Ha, gotcha," Duke said triumphantly. He bent down and scooped it in his grasp. As he stood up something shimmery caught the corner of his eye. He peered over the rails and saw the remainder of the nets in the water. They floated in one place close to the hull. He groaned. Those were going to be a bitch to pull out.

The sun came out from behind a cloud and bounced off the surface of the water. This time he saw a glimmer of something orange tangled up in the nets. He squinted. It was hard to tell from this distance but it kind of looked like…scales? Orange scales? Maybe a fish or two had gotten caught because of the storm. Well, no need to let good food go to waste.

He tossed the beer bottle in a trash bag and went to fetch a long metal rod. It was curved on the end like a hook. He never liked using this thing because it was as tall as he was and awkward to handle. He positioned himself in the general vicinity of the nets where it bunched together the most. Legs shoulder width apart, Duke leaned over the rail as far as he could and managed to successfully hook a section of net. He dragged everything in and the orange scaly thing came with it easily. However when he tried to pull it up they kept getting caught. So he tugged and tugged until they came free.

"Holy shit," he breathed. The nets were safely on board now. But what he thought were fish was still in the water. And it was definitely _not_ fish. He was staring at a girl's face. Her eyes were closed, her skin was pale, and her blond hair floated beneath her like a halo. Briefly he scanned her body for any signs of damage. What the hell was she wearing? It was a bikini halter top made out of scales. Weird. And…no way.

 _No._

 _Freaking._

 _Way._

A tail. Was that a tail? Like a _real_ tail? She didn't have legs so he could only assume it was real. Unless it was part of a costume. Either way, what the hell was she doing out here?

Duke was born and raised in Haven. Over the last year he had seen things that could never be explained before. The Troubles were a part of the town and you either believed in them or you didn't. But this…this was something else entirely. How could _mermaids_ exist?

He didn't waste another second and silently prayed she was still alive. He quickly scanned the area for anyone else out and about but saw no one. So after much struggling and heaving and cursing, he managed to pull the mysterious mermaid onto the boat. One can only be so gentle for so long while hauling an unconscious body around. The tail alone felt like it weighed a ton. She was now flat on her back. He held two fingers to the side of her neck to check for a pulse. It was there, but faint. Duke let out a breath. Thank God. Her skin was so pale, almost porcelain. That couldn't be good. What should he do?

Think, Duke. Oh, right, he should call an ambulance. Maybe the tail was fake, right? He felt the very bottom and gave it a gentle tug in an attempt to pull it off but nothing happened. He tried again with both hands this time, a little harder. Nothing. Jesus, it even _felt_ like a fish. Wet but still somehow slimy. Okay so definitely not fake, which meant no ambulance. He couldn't turn her over to just anyone. She'd be dissected and studied in seconds.

Well he couldn't let her lie there like that. Maybe if she woke up he could get her name and help her find her…pod? Her school? Her clan? Whatever the proper word was he could help get her home. He bent over near her ear.

"Miss, can you hear me?" Duke said loudly. That didn't work so he placed one hand on her shoulder and the other on her wrist at her pulse point. This time he gently shook her shoulder while repeating the question. "Miss?" Her eyelids fluttered and he perked up. She was coming to!

Everything from there happened in a flash. The mermaid's eyes flew open and she looked around frantically. Her breathing sped up to the point of near hyperventilation. He leaned over just above her face to give her a friendly smile but she seemed not to see him. He still had his hand on her wrist and he could feel her pulse quickening. She might be going into shock. He tried to calm her down, tell her she was okay, asked her her name, but to no avail. She leaned up with her opposite arm to grab his forearm, just below the elbow, and the second she did he felt a searing pain and had to snatch it back instantly. He cried out and released her wrist. What the hell was that?! He glanced down to inspect his arm and saw a cherry red welt in the shape of her hand. It was almost like he hand been burned. Damn it hurt like a mother.

She was on her back again when she started coughing violently and spitting up saltwater. Duke stood up and raced inside for his medical kit. When he came back patched up with gauze she had finished coughing and managed to roll over onto her stomach. He went to her, bent down, and warily checked her over. She was passed out again but was breathing normally. She didn't burn him this time when he placed a hand on her cheek to move the hair off of her face, but she was red all over, like a bad sunburn. What _the hell_ was happening? And what was he supposed to do now? An idea hit him and he snapped his fingers. Simple. He'd put her on his bed so that she could have some privacy when she woke up.

More heaving, much more cursing ensued but ten minutes later she was inside the boat, laying supine on his bed. The sheets could be washed later. Now came the hardest part: To call Audrey or not to call Audrey. He wasn't sure why she specifically came to mind but she was used to dealing with odd occurrences on an almost daily basis. Maybe this was a Trouble. The weirdest one to date but a Trouble nonetheless. Surely she could handle a mermaid.

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 **AN: Hope Rikki's okay! Find out next time!**


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